June is HERE!!!!

So I really haven't read any of the assigned reading for this past month. I started "God so Loved the World", but with everything going on with Hallen have found myself doing more research than really reading. In the intrest of keeping my sanity and giving myself an outlet of our current situation... I have been doing some multitasking. Between the Logan library and the Tremonton Library there is a vast selection of books on CD. Now I don't mean to cheat and I love to read, but this allows me to feel productive and gives me something else to think about while I am doing the dishes. So I have decided to report on the book that I listened to. I had heard great reviews from some of my friends about it. The book is "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. It takes place in Jackson Mississippi in the 60s.

Here is the synopsis:

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.


This book is all about the strength of women. I thought that as strong women of faith we Merrell girls could learn a lot from the characters in this book. Not only that but it is very very well written. I absolutely loved it.


I also would like to propose that we start a non-churchy (sorry for the lack in my vocabulary at the moment) book. There are a couple murder mystery books that sound awesome. I propose any of Claire Poulsen's books. My favorite of his is "Blind". It is amazing. All of his books are great though. He is LDS and sometimes the church is mentioned but they are totally fictional.

I hope no one minds that I commented on a book that wasn't one of the chosen ones for the month. But I thought that you guys would absolutely love it.

5 Spiritual Solutions Conclusion

What a great book. I enjoyed it, but know that this is a book that I might reference again during different stages of my children's lives. There were lots of great suggestions on things to do with your children, and even somethings that I know that I want to do to make myself better.

Here are a few things that I enjoyed:
1. Solution 2: Always reminding Children of who they are. I hope to do this with Coop and Audrey through the simple but true primary songs of the church.
2. Solution 2: Start letting Coop learn agency but letting him choose more things. When he is my only hobby right now, he gets a lot of mothering :). So I think I need to work on this :).
3. Solution 2: They talked about how one of their children memorized their patriartical blessing, I think that is a GREAT idea and plan to try and do that. I think it will not only help me in my personal life by having it memorized, but will help me with my children in different situations.
4. Solution 2: I love the reminder that we need to follow the methods of our Heavenly Father. We often find ourselves using the examples of our earthly fathers, but sometimes we forgot to use the best example, that of our Heavenly Father.
5. Solution 2: I loved when they said God Finds joy in his children, and there are many scriptural accounts as to his joy.
6. Solution 2: Follow the Methods of our Heavenly father~ When we try, he will help!
7. Solution 2: Create a plan of happiness for your family in the manner of a Family Mission Statement. I have done this, but still need to get it framed! Goal is to do it in the next 2 weeks. :)
8. Solution 3: Remember the direct channel to the Father: PRAYER
9. Solution 3: The importance of Couple prayer! It is a remarkable privileged and an indispensable tool of guidance.
10. Solution 4: Remembering the churches Scaffoldings. Just made me grateful for Cooper's dedicated nursery teacher, and makes me want to be an even better example to the young women and primary children that I come in contact with weekly at church. The church really can play a major role in helping to raise our children.
11. Solution 4: Importance of F.H.E: teaches children that the family unit is a working, living and dedicated unit. Even if I have to only do a 15 min F.H.E it will help my children know the importance I place in them and in our family unit.
12: Solution 5: REMEMBER THE SAVIORS POWER! Love this!
13. Solution 5: use his spirit to guide, His atonement to save, His priesthood to bless our children.
14. Solution 5. Helaman 5:2, Great scripture!
15. Solution 5: I want to make sure I teach my children to ask for blessings!
16. Solutions 5: One tradition that I thought was a great idea was when they said that at birthdays the father did a special birthday devotional and then the Mother gave a special birthday prayer, how wonderful is that?! I think that is such a fun idea~

Anyway. Great book, really enjoyed it. Sorry it took so long to post my thoughts/ideas. There are tons more, but I just gave a brief overview of some of my favorite things. There were lots of great stories in the book that I adored. Anyway.

loves,
kasey

Books for May

Hey ladies. Here are the books to choose from for May. I didn't hear from all of you about whether or not you wanted to do a book every other month or not, so please let me know about that. Here are the books to choose from.

April's Main title

May's Alternate title: This one will be available May 6th to Kindle

And I threw this one in from Last months alternate title. I still think it sounds super fun to read. and it also has a mother theme to it.

Let me know which book you would like to choose for the next month. I am almost done with last months book and will post my thoughts tomorrow. Miss and love you all!

Ponderings

I really like that our book stated that our Children are REALLY our brothers and sisters. I liked the thought from the Dad rocking his daughter at night hoping she wouldn't wake her brother and pregnant mother. He thought she is really just my sister what if it were reversed and she was my mother just rocking me. This story made me cry, worrying about a work meeting but being sweet enough to let his pregnant wife sleep because she had been having bad morning sickness.

What do you guys think about our Children really being our brothers and sisters? I guess I always knew that but it just really struck me.

I like how they have different scenarios. I think alot of the same stories will stick out to Kasey, Amber and I because we are all at the same point in our lives. But I like that it talks about parents of teenagers and older children as well. It made me think about my own Mom.

Happy Reading!!!

LOVES, from your sister in China

The April Book of Choice

Hey Ladies, so the book for the month of April is 5 Spiritual Solutions. Could we maybe take turns posting questions on the blog as we read? Is that something you guys want to do? If so, who wants to ask the questions? Or should we all just do it as we feel the need? Let me know your thoughts. Happy Reading.

April Book Options

Here are the books for April. Remember we are now doing the Main title option from the previous month, and then the Alternate title of the current month. I know we discussed just reading the 5 spiritual Solutions, but thought I would also give the other options. It also looks like a great book.

MAIN TITLE OPTION

ALTERNATE TITLE

Click on the book to read the review, then please vote for the book you would like to read. LOVE YOU!

Lemon Tart Ponderings

Hey Ladies, Anyone start yet? I am kinda behind. I just started reading on Saturday! But promise to get it done by the end of the week :). So here are a few questions for you if you want to repsond: 1. Thoughts so far? Do you like the main Character Sadie? 2. Just reading the first few chapters who would you want Sadie to end up with Ron or Lt. Cunningham? 3. Any idea who killed Anne? 4. Any recipes you want to try? LOVE YA!